The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-20

service and the honorable men who have
fairly earned the rest on the list that gen
erous Congress has provided them. THIS as
written in no spirit OF detraction TO the
service. bat the fact is SO well known That
even the Register displays officially on ITS
pages the names of nine officers, ranging IN
rank from Major 10 Lieutenant, who are re-
tired ior disability NOT incident 10 the
service Yet each one of these men ills
place on the list of 400 that excludes worthy
and disabled comrades from retirement.
know of one case OF an Oihcer VINO has
not yet reached a Captaincy, who lost foot
nj the battle Of Charlottesville IN 1860 ana
was
BREyETTED TWICE FOR GALLAETRN,
who is now waiting retirement. He has
performed splendid service since he entered
the Regular Army in lS66, and has per-
formed duty with his company for years,
although much Of the time he has been EN-
pl0yed in Quartermastcr duty. lie Is not
lay any means SO young as when ne lay on
the field at ChauceilOrsyille % years ago,
and Is anxious 10 be retired and go INTO pri-
vate business; hut there is no vacancy, ana
he mus wait until one comes tor him.
The latest general legislation was the act
of 1850 which makes retirement compulsory
Il.
upon tire President TO retire any officer who
has served 40 wears; and if the officer has
served as an enlisted man at any time, that
time must be counted 10 make the prescribed
service These two classes form separate
list indopendent of the 409, and do not in
ferfere with those asking retirement for
dissbiiis.
This law was the outcome OF the demand
of thearmy that something should be done
10 stimulate promotion, which is the very
foundation OF effective military service.
True. the President was already authorized
TO PEREMPToRILY RETIRE
at GO years oc age OF as years service, but he
was unable 10 take even that action unless
there were vacancies on the limited list;
and. besides most officers on reaching the
prescribed age cling tenaciOusly 10 the active
list for The higher rates OF pay, and when
one was retired without his requesting action
he felt that a sluT upon his ability was lm-
piled.
Sometimes such peremptOry action by the
President had a humorous side TO the case.
For 10 years prior to $780, and possibly
more constant pressure throughout the
whole army had been directed toward
change i'm the head of a certain Staff Bureau
without success. Finally the officer was
sent for one day by the Secretary of War
and gently informed that should he apply
10 DE placed on the retired list the President
would be very glad TO oblige him, etc. The
General was wrathfully indignant and had
he not been of excellent Christian character
there is no doubt but that he would have
KALs0MINED THE WALLS
in blue with his remarks,
4 l. hot l,xTc crsala a. hn
would slullify himself, as he was still in
full egor of health aud mental faculties;
and, in fact. fatty refused TO make such a
request The Secretary blandly wished him
good morning, but the General was per-
emptoriy retired within less than 20 min
utes. and the Special Order announcing the
fact was issued so quickly that the victim
had a suspicion that the action pleased his
c0mTades-in-arms.
Another chapter TO this incident is of
some interest as eXemplifying the old
adage of The "frying-pan and fire" and OF
letting well enough alone The victim
alluded 10 was intensely unpopular in the
whole service, but, Notwithstanding ten
dency 10 marrow views, he was thoroughly
lust and able. His successor has developed
the ability 10 kick up more trouble than is
at al needed, and has numbers Of times
called down much adverse criticism on his
head, not only in the service but in the
press throughout the country. A recent
episode where the President and Secretary of
War
WERE BOTH BADLY BITTEN
is an instance, and have heard prominent
War Department officials half sigh for a
return even Of his predecessors rule.
Influence "fluence," the officers call III
has had much TO do with the present con-
diti0n OF affairs Of the retired list. j have
IN my mind the case Of one officer who was
continual souroe of trouble in the service
and Of great anxiety TO his friends. he had
been d gallant officer during the war, but
later had contracted bad habits and was
tried time after time by general court
martial, Int was always saved by the inter
vention % friends Of high rank. His escapes
taught him no lasting lesson and the scandal
continued until another trial for an extremely
disgraceiul list Of ofienses brought again
sentence Of dismissal His powerful friends
took up the matter again, and having action
on the sentence postponed, succeeded IN
lnducing President Hayes TO order the de-
linquent before q Retiring Board. He was
clearly disabled and unfit for service, but
even the board was forced 20 report that his
disability was not incident 10 his service
This action is supposed TO be followed by q
Presidential order wholly retiring" the
officer, which is equivalent TO dismissal, hut
the "innuenoe" got him placed on the reg
Ular retired list, where he now comfortably
draws the same pay that
ANY 0NE-LEGGED OFFICER
Of hiE rank does, and is no more subject 10
cOuri-martial for his misdeeds
There are Others on the list who have no
more right there in justice, than the one ]
have Just above written OF, yet they have
succeeded in being retired for disability in-
Cured IN service" by very elastic elongation
Of the law, aided by the pliable good ma
ture of the President. These are men who
would have long ago been purged from the
army, for the good OF the army, either by
forced resignation or by cOurt-martial, but
now they are safe and their official stand
ing on the Army Register is as good as
that OF such men as Harney, Ricketts, OF
Sickles, Or even Gen. Sherman himself
TIE NAVAL LIST.
When Congress wakes up 10 legislation on
thesUl8ectot the military retired lists, there
will likoiy be greater slaughter in th,
navy list even than the army. The tota
number OF officers in the navy, commissioned
and warrant, is 1903, and of these 367, o
1922 per cent, are retired. The army per
centege h BOW 1855; the total number O
oilieafs being 2.672, OF whom 469 are retired
The qtfred lists 4uprp orfg1uallv r,y,a,ri a.